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A failure to communicate cost Pierce County a $13,000 penalty when a certificate of deposit was cashed in early to cover end-of-year bills, according to some sources. But the man who was county treasurer at the time disagrees. In the end, he said, an investment experiment he initially questioned made money for the county despite the penalty. "We were headed for pretty thin ice, so I had to break a CD," former Treasurer Lee Skog said Friday.

In a stipulation filed last week, attorneys for Pierce County and Trumpeter Development agreed to defer further court action while the parties pursue mediation. The sides agreed that they would "use their best efforts to conduct and complete mediation by June 30, 2007." A telephone status conference is set for July 9 with Trempealeau County Judge John Damon. Trumpeter is asking for over $4 million in damages in the case that involves a 700-acre residential development near Prescott. Pierce County's Land Management Committee approved certified survey maps for 84 lots.

In a stipulation filed last week, attorneys for Pierce County and Trumpeter Development agreed to defer further court action while the parties pursue mediation. The sides agreed that they would "use their best efforts to conduct and complete mediation by June 30, 2007." A telephone status conference is set for July 9 with Trempealeau County Judge John Damon. Trumpeter is asking for over $4 million in damages in the case that involves a 700-acre residential development near Prescott. Pierce County's Land Management Committee approved certified survey maps for 84 lots.

A former River Falls alderman with a long record of community service was sentenced to six months in county jail and five years probation after pleading guilty Tuesday to a single felony count of theft. Harvey Sternat, 61, handed over a check for $150,000 as restitution for money he took from the bank account of an elderly Prescott widow or from her family's trust.

ELLSWORTH -- A new state law that says police should record interviews with anyone arrested for a serious crime means more cost and more work, but Pierce County officers agree it's not all bad. When the interview's on tape, it's right out there for everybody to see.

ELLSWORTH -- While the words used initially were "moratorium" and "freeze," in the end Pierce County's Finance and Personnel Committee voted to take a less drastic course and implement a procedure to evaluate vacant jobs before hiring again. The county currently has about a dozen jobs open. Some are part-time clerical positions.

When Kitty Rhoades was first elected to the Wisconsin Assembly, she was asked to fill out a form listing five legislative committees she wanted to serve on. She wrote "Finance" five times. A Republican Party leader called for clarification, saying, "Half the group said you didn't understand (how to fill out the form). The other half said you did." Rhoades said she definitely knew what she was doing. As a "mature freshman," she didn't have time to wait for other people to retire before she got the assignment she wanted. Four years ago, the St.

ELLSWORTH -- A $10,000 grant from the Hugh J. Andersen Foundation will play a major role in funding the Pierce County Public Health Department's dental clinic. The money will allow the clinic to offer more services. Over half of the children seen at the Preventive Dental Health Clinic need restorative work such as fillings, said Public Health Director Caralynn Hodgson.

ELLSWORTH -- On Jan. 2, Pierce County's coroner will become its medical examiner with a sizable increase in pay. Incumbent Coroner Sue Dzubay has lobbied supervisors to go from an elected coroner system to a hired medical examiner to assure that qualified people are handling death investigations. The County Board voted in March to switch to a medical examiner.

ELLSWORTH -- The Pierce County Board voted this week to remove a moving expense allotment from Administrative Coordinator Curt Kephart's contract, to pay him $250 a month for in-county travel and other expenses and to clarify that he is supervised by the Finance and Personnel Committee. The $1,000 moving expense allowance was removed because Kephart, who lives in Rochester, doesn't intend to move to Pierce County.